Sarnen, Staatsarchiv Obwalden

Sarnen, Staatsarchiv Obwalden, Sig. A.02.CHR.0003

Paper · 508 pp. · 30–30.5 x 21–22 cm · Sarnen · 1470–1607

The “White Book of Sarnen”

The White Book of Sarnen was assembled by Obwald Chancellry Clerk Hans Schriber (1436-1478). It is called the “White Book” because it was originally bound in a white pigskin cover. It contains copies of Privileges, Covenants, and important decisions rendered by the arbitral tribunals and Landesgemeinde beginning in 1316, written for the most part in the years 1470/1471. It is the most important cartulary from the Obwald Chancellry during the late middle ages and, as such, is still part of the city archives today. However, this book is famous above all because it contains the oldest version of the story of the founding of the Swiss Confederation on about 25 of its pages (S. 441 – 465). The volume also includes the story of Wilhelm Tell and the famous shooting of the apple: (“Weisses Buch”, S. 447: Nu was der Tall gar ein güt Schütz er hat oüch hübsche kind die beschigt der herre zü imm / vnd twang den Tallen mit sinen knechten / das der Tall eim sim kind ein öpfel ab dem höupt müst schiessen …).